A Story Come True

#16 The Next Clue

Cerah found herself sitting on the grass in front of a humongous clock as the fog cleared to reveal the rising sun of Styfurdome.

"Isn't this place beautiful?"

She turned towards the voice to find John on the ground beside her. Cerah's eyes skimmed the place to find Angel crouched beside a tree, a few feet away from them, looking for the clue.

So, was Angel really Alex?

Cerah tried to call out for Alex using her real name but her mouth sealed shut.

Shocker.

"Why're you staring at Angel like that?"

Cerah snapped her eyes back to John and smiled sheepishly shaking her head. She then stood up, dusted off her pants and walked to Angel.

"Hey, Angel."

"Hey Ria," Angel said looking up at Cerah causing Cerah's heart to race.

Angel really was Alex. For the first time, Cerah could recognize her. It was like Cerah hadn't really seen her before.

"Is something wrong Ria?" Alex asked concerned.

"Nothing," Cerah said shaking her head and looking away.

So, now I know Angel is actually Alex and I can't even say that to anyone?

Great, just great.

Cerah turned away from Alex, placing her hands on her hips as her eyes fell on John who was looking for the next clue.

If Alex was Angel who was John?

"Ladies," John said looking over at where Cerah and Alex were, "I think we're going about this the wrong way."

"Going about what the wrong way?" Asked Cerah.

"This whole searching-for-the-next-clue thing."

"What d'you reckon we're doing wrong?" Asked Alex standing up from her crouch.

"If the answer to the hint is the clock then why are we searching around the clock? Shouldn't we be searching the clock itself?" Asked John frowning.

"How are we supposed to 'search the clock'?" Asked Cerah walking over to John who was standing in front of the clock, Angel following suit.

"I don't know there must be a way," replied John tilting his head up to get a look at the top of the clock, "geez isn't this thing huge."

Cerah moved closer to the clock to examine its body. It was rock hard and warm underneath her palm. Upon her touch, Cerah felt some shifting happening behind the surface. Frowning she moved forward to place her ear on the rock to check for any noise. As she was about to do so she felt the body of the clock slide away with a groan and her heart skipped a beat as she stumbled into a dark chamber.

Cerah placed a hand on a wall and caught herself before falling. She placed a hand on her chest in an attempt to calm her pounding heart. She could hear Alex and John call out to her from behind.

"I'm fine guys!" Cerah said as she let her eyes adjust to the darkness inside the clock. Oddly the sunlight from outside didn't seem to light up this place.

Cerah felt John's arm brush against hers as he stepped alongside her and asked, "are you alright?"

Cerah just nodded in reply, unable to take her eyes off the alluring carvings on the walls that surrounded them.

"This is beautiful," she whispered as she moved forward and ran her hand over them. They seemed to be telling her a story.

As Cerah stood admiring the rock carvings, John just behind her, she heard a gasp. John and Cerah whirled around in response to find Alex standing in front of the pendulum with a look of amazement on her face. The reason, Cerah observed, was the fact that the bob of the pendulum seemed to have opened upon her touch to reveal a giant hollow space.

John and Cerah walked over to where Alex stood. John peeped into the space and said with a shrug, "there's nothing in there."

Cerah frowned, that can't be the case.

Cerah stepped forward and John moved away to give her space. She looked into the darkness and couldn't find anything either. She placed a hand on her waist frowning at it. Then she placed one hand on the pendulum and ran the other through the seemingly empty space.

As she had expected, her hand stumbled upon a water-like material lying in a tiny corner. John raised his eyebrow spotting the smile that spread across Cerah's lips. Cerah retrieved her hand to show them the red, velvet cloth wrapped around something solid.

The Next Clue.

Before any of them could react, however, she felt a familiar warmth engulf her away from the dream.

*****

A/N:

Hey there! Guess who's back!

I missed writing all these days but now we're back on track. 

Expect updates on every Saturday and stay smiling ;)

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